(Park City, Utah) – A $400,000 grant from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation has enabled KPCW to complete the expansion of its broadcast facilities on Swede Alley in historic Old Town Park City. The project, which began in late 2019, adds 1,400 sq. ft. to KPCW’s newly named Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center at a critical time for the station as it expands to meet the dramatic growth in the Summit and Wasatch Counties it serves.
KPCW President and General Manager Renai Bodley Miller said, “We are honored to name our newly expanded broadcast headquarters in recognition of Eccles Foundation Chairman & CEO Spencer F. Eccles, whose personal legacy of involvement and generosity in the Park City area have benefitted our residents and visitors alike for decades. His association with our communities, and generosity throughout the area, enrich the lives of our citizens and visitors alike.”
In awarding the grant – the largest in KPCW’s history – Eccles Foundation President & COO Lisa Eccles praised the station’s more than 40-year tradition of service to the community. “As its vital, timely coverage of the recent Parley’s Canyon Fire made clear, area residents rely on KPCW to be their lifeline to critical information,” said Ms. Eccles. “We realize what an important role the station plays in the life of the community, and it is heartening for our Foundation to help KPCW enhance its ability to provide timely news, information, and enriching entertainment for citizens in Park City, Summit County, and Wasatch County.”
“We are so grateful for the extraordinary support provided by the Eccles Foundation” said Roger Goldman, chairman of KPCW’s Board of Trustees. “The transformation of our previous facility into the new Eccles Broadcast Center provides the physical foundation that will allow us to provide high quality local news and information for years to come.”
Grants from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation in Summit and Wasatch counties have been vital to the area’s social and economic success for generations, benefitting cultural initiatives, social services, healthcare, the ski, and winter sport industry, and more. The Foundation has supported organizations such as the Kimball Art Center, Eccles Performing Arts Center/Park City Institute, Park City Historical Society, Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley Music Festival, Sundance Film Festival, People’s Health Clinic, Peace House, Summit Land Conservancy, Utah Open Lands, and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.
About KPCW
KPCW – the public radio station in Park City, Utah – serves Summit and Wasatch Counties with local news, information, entertainment, and emergency alerts through its broadcast signal and digital media platforms. The station is also committed to provide its communication abilities to foster the success of other nonprofit organizations in the community.
Since it went on the air in July1980, KPCW has become the relied-upon source for free local news, information, and education for the area. The station broadcasts to Summit and Wasatch Counties on 91.7 FM, 88.1 FM, and 91.9 FM. In addition to its own programming, KPCW also carries national and international news from National Public Radio (NPR), American Public Media (APM), and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Whether it is up-to-the-minute coverage of an area wildfire, an accident report that helps smooth out commutes, or coverage of local candidates and issues affecting neighborhoods, KPCW is there with accurate and timely information. The station’s five-person news team provides transparency regarding local government issues from school board meetings to city council decisions and planning commission hearings to economic developments. KPCW delivers news that makes our diverse mountain town a community, including the much-beloved “Lost & Found” report at the bottom of every hour.
About the GEORGE S. and DOLORES DORÉ ECCLES FOUNDATION In the nearly 40 years since the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation first became active in 1982, it has furthered the philanthropic interests of its namesakes through statewide charitable grants to improve the quality of life enjoyed by the people of Utah. The Foundation's legacy of support—now totaling more than $750 million—represents a significant investment in the economic vitality and future strength of the state of Utah and the Intermountain West.
The Foundation's grants are awarded in five focus areas including Arts & Culture, Community (social services), Education, Health & Wellness, and Preservation & Conservation.
A son of pioneering Utah entrepreneur and industrialist David Eccles, George S. Eccles was a leading figure for more than half a century in the banking industry in Utah and nationally. He played a key role in founding and guiding First Security Corporation and served as its Chairman & CEO for nearly 40 years (1945-1982). George and his wife, Dolores, were active civic volunteers whose generous involvement and support—especially in education, health care, and the arts—made an important difference in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah. Today, the foundation they created furthers their remarkable generosity, with grant-making programs throughout the state continuing to enrich the lives of all Utahns under the leadership of its Board of Directors, including Spencer F. Eccles, Chairman & CEO; Lisa E. Eccles, President & COO; and Robert M. Graham, Vice President, Treasurer & General Counsel.